1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention relates to an article of manufacture that is a long lasting rotary drill bit for drilling a hole into variable hardness geological formations that has at least one self-actuating compensation mechanism triggered by bit wear that is responsive to the hardness of the geological formation to minimize the time necessary to drill a borehole using rotary drilling techniques typically used in the oil and gas drilling industries. The field of the invention also relates to a long lasting rotary drill bit for drilling a hole into variable hardness geological formations that has a compensating mechanism controllable from the surface of the earth to change the mechanical configuration of the bit in the well to minimize the time necessary to drill a borehole. The field of invention further relates to an article of manufacture that is a drill bit possessing hard abrasive rods cast into steel, such as tungsten carbide rods cast into steel, that is used to drill holes into geological formations. The field of invention also relates to a composition of matter comprised of tungsten carbide rods cast into relatively softer bit matrix materials, such an alloy steel, to make a self-sharpening drill bit as the bit wears during drilling. The field of invention further relates to the method using the drill bit having tungsten carbide rods cast in steel to drill holes into geological formations that relies upon the progressive exposure of the tungsten carbide rods during the natural wear and erosion of the softer steel alloy matrix material in the drilling bit which results in the self-sharpening of the drill bit. The field of invention further relates to the method of making a long-lasting drill bit comprised of hard abrasive rods cast into steel that is self-sharpening upon the wear of the drill bit during drilling operations. The field of invention further relates to the method of making a long-lasting drill bit by pre-stressing mechanical elements comprising the drill bit that results in the expansion of the drill bit at its bottom during wear of the drill bit thereby producing a constant diameter hole as the bit wears. The field of invention also relates to a method of making the self-sharpening drill bit that relies upon using hardened metal scrapers that become exposed as the bit undergoes lateral wear which tend to produce a constant diameter hole as the bit wears. And finally, the field of invention relates to a method of making the self-sharpening drill bit that relies upon the lateral drill bit wear to uncover and expose new mud channels that results in lateral mud flow which in turn tends to produce a constant diameter hole as the bit undergoes lateral wear.
2. Description of Prior Art
Other than the applications of the inventor previously cited above, at the time of the filing of the application herein, the applicant is unaware of any art in the field that is particularly relevant to the invention.
However, typical procedures used in the oil and gas industries to drill and complete wells are well documented. For example, such procedures are documented in the entire “Rotary Drilling Series” published by the Petroleum Extension Service, Division of Continuing Education, of The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Tex., that is included herein by reference in its entirety and which is comprised of all of the following: Unit I—“The Rig and Its Maintenance” (12 Lessons); Unit II—“Normal Drilling Operations” (5 Lessons); Unit III—Nonroutine Rig Operations (4 Lessons); Unit IV—Man Management and Rig Management (1 Lesson); and Unit V—Offshore Technology (9 Lessons). Entire copies of all Lessons of all Units of the “Rotary Drilling Series” are included in the specification herein by reference. Further, entire copies of all of the individual Glossaries of all of the above Lessons of all the Units are explicitly included in the specification herein, and all definitions in those Glossaries shall be considered to be explicitly referenced and/or defined herein. The inventor has several different editions of the “Rotary Drilling Series” in his possession, and the most current edition of that “Rotary Drilling Series” available from the Petroleum Extension Service is also included herein in its entirety by reference.
Additional procedures used in the oil and gas industries to drill and complete wells are well documented in the series entitled “Lessons in Well Servicing and Workover” published by the Petroleum Extension Service, Division of Continuing Education, of The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Tex., an entire copy of which is included herein by reference that is comprised of all 12 Lessons. All 12 Lessons of the “Lessons in Well Servicing and Workover” are included in the specification herein in their entirety by reference. All of the individual Glossaries of all of the above Lessons are explicitly included in the specification herein and all definitions in those Glossaries shall be considered to be explicitly referenced and/or defined herein. The inventor has several different editions of the “Lessons in Well Servicing and Workover” in his possession, and the most recent edition of the “Lessons In Well Servicing and Workover” from the Petroleum Extension Service is also included herein in its entirety by reference.